Durban, Apr 1: The Indian Premier League going to be held in South Africa will mainly be a television product for the Indian market and the crowd attendances will be no more than a bonus, according to a former cricket administrator.
Arthur Turner says that hosting of IPL in South Africa is not a coup for the country as the tournament was shifted out of India due to security reasons.
"It is hard to see how eight foreign teams playing 59 matches in a foreign country will capture the imagination of the South African public. Sure there will be a curiosity factor but nothing more. Durban will probably be the exception given the huge Indian community," Sports24.com quoted Arthur, as saying.
He says the IPL will be mainly a television product for the Indian market and the crowd attendances will be no more than a bonus, and adds that the main aim of the organisers is to ensure that the tournament takes place.
Arthur compliments Cricket South Africa on assisting the IPL by hosting the tournament in the country as an emergency measure, which is good in the spirit of cricket.
The South African economy will also benefit from the move with the hospitality, hotel and transport industries being the main beneficiaries. Also, the local cricket provinces and their venues will benefit financially from a staging fee for matches, he says.
ANI
Arthur Turner says that hosting of IPL in South Africa is not a coup for the country as the tournament was shifted out of India due to security reasons.
"It is hard to see how eight foreign teams playing 59 matches in a foreign country will capture the imagination of the South African public. Sure there will be a curiosity factor but nothing more. Durban will probably be the exception given the huge Indian community," Sports24.com quoted Arthur, as saying.
He says the IPL will be mainly a television product for the Indian market and the crowd attendances will be no more than a bonus, and adds that the main aim of the organisers is to ensure that the tournament takes place.
Arthur compliments Cricket South Africa on assisting the IPL by hosting the tournament in the country as an emergency measure, which is good in the spirit of cricket.
The South African economy will also benefit from the move with the hospitality, hotel and transport industries being the main beneficiaries. Also, the local cricket provinces and their venues will benefit financially from a staging fee for matches, he says.
ANI
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